


the power of love (and other things that transcend time)

by wordsOfA_feather



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drabble, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Locks, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29794926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsOfA_feather/pseuds/wordsOfA_feather
Summary: Yugi and Atem are going through the struggles of a long distance relationship. While working on a school project, Yugi is forced to think about their relationship and whether or not it will actually be strong enough to withstand the distance.
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Yami Bakura/Marik Ishtar
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	the power of love (and other things that transcend time)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bewdofchaos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bewdofchaos/gifts).



> My dearest Pants - my Canadian twin, you truly are a gem of a friend and I'm so lucky to have gotten to know you. Thanks for indulging in my random bullshittery at random times throughout the day. You truly have the patience of a queen and the heart to match. I hope you enjoy this...especially since it started out as a true angst-fest. xD I hope you have a super amazing birthday! <3

_ > I wish you were here. _

Shifting his weight to his other foot, Yugi stared back at the screen. Focused on the tiny letters under the text bubble, he watched as they changed to ‘Read’. Accompanying dots appeared shortly after but disappeared as soon as they came. Yugi swallowed the breath he had subconsciously been holding in and watched as the screen dimmed, revealing his own gaze staring back at him. No response. Not even an emoji.

It was all disheartening, really. Yugi tightened his fingers around the device and shoved the phone back in his pocket. No one ever told him how hard this really would be. How being apart from the person that you so desperately wanted to be with would take such a toll on your entire being. He glanced back up at the display case in front of him, trying to force out of his mind all the feelings of rejection that threatened to swallow him whole.

“Whatcha doing there?” A curious, svelte voice inquired from a very close proximity to his ear. Yugi would have jumped if it weren’t for the fact that he already knew the face it belonged to. He shrugged and remained transfixed on the item before him.

“I’m not sure.”

“You texted him again, didn’t you?” The voice snapped back without hesitation.

Sighing, Yugi’s gaze dropped to the floor and he leisurely started to walk away. “Doesn’t he realize how hard this is on me too?”

“Well,” Marik began as he fell in step beside him. “To be fair to him, it is midterms week. We’re not all star students like you.” Yugi side-eyed the blond causing him to burst into a chuckle. “The majority of us are trying to cram an entire semester’s worth of knowledge into one night. I’m sure he’s busy.”

Yugi loudly exhaled as he stopped in front of a painting, his eyes skimming over its features but not really looking at what was before him. Violet eyes lingered on the shorter male for a bit longer before his own gaze followed Yugi’s and set on the painting as well. “I’m sure that when the time is right, he’ll respond.”

“How’s Bakura doing?” Yugi asked in an attempt to change the subject.

“He’s alright.” The awkward pause caused Yugi to look over at the blond, who was currently looking intently at his own phone, his brows furrowed in confusion. 

As if sensing Yugi’s stare on him, Marik’s eyes looked back to him. “Sorry…Kura just…” The blond pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before looking back at his phone again. “Sorry, let me just reply to him.”

“Take your time.” Yugi looked back, taking in the rest of the hall. Part of him was surprised at the amount of students that had volunteered for this assignment. The other part wondered how many were just looking for an opportunity to not go to class today. As an extra credit assignment for his Ancient Civilizations class, his teacher offered students an opportunity to write a paper on an artifact from a prior time that had greatly influenced the world. Yugi didn’t need the extra credit as he was already the top performer in his class. However, he wasn’t going to pass on this opportunity to learn more about history. 

The first of the month was always half-price day at the museum of ancient history; which was a fact that Yugi was well aware of. He made it a habit to always visit and look at the various exhibits, pondering the lives that were lived in those ancient times. He hoped to draw inspiration from one of these pieces today but his mind was too busy thinking about the lack of a presence. The lack of his someone. 

“Did you find it?”

“Hmm?” Yugi looked back at Marik who held a hand out in mid air as if gesturing to the room. 

“The piece you’re going to work on. Did you find it?”

“Oh. Umm...” Scratching the back of his head, Yugi struggled to think up an answer. He hadn’t found anything but he wasn’t in the mood to hear another lecture about how he shouldn’t be worrying about his relationship at a moment like this.

Apparently, the hesitation gave him away.

Marik narrowed his eyes at Yugi. “Please tell me that you’re not letting this relationship come in the way of your studies again.”

“I’m not!” Yugi retorted a bit too loudly, earning looks from people nearby. Cringing, he shoved his hands into his pockets and pouted. He swallowed the words that he really wanted to say, each vowel hanging at the tip of his mouth. Afraid of the implications they would have once they were out in the open. Instead, that response started to play over and over in his mind.  _ I’m just not sure I can do this anymore. _

Rolling his eyes, Marik grabbed Yugi by the arm and started leading him towards the exit to the museum. 

“Where are we going?” Yugi asked as they crossed through the museum doors and onto the busy, bustling street. 

“You’ll see.” Marik stated absentmindedly as he looked back down at his phone, his other hand still pulling Yugi along. “Nowhere in that assignment did it say that the item had to be within a museum.” 

Yugi raised a brow and stopped in his steps. Feeling the resistance, the blond looked back and let go of the shorter male. “What?”

“What do you mean, what?” Yugi asked, incredulously. “Where else would we find something historic?”

Marik snorted and placed a hand on his hip. “Do you trust me, Yug?”

Truthfully? He didn’t. But as his best friend, Yugi knew that at the end of the day, Marik did hold his best interests at heart. Yugi sighed and nodded as a response, against his better judgement. Pulling his sleeves over his hands, he walked up beside Marik, causing the blond to begin walking in a general direction. “Can you at least tell me where we’re going?”

“I could, but that’s not trust, is it?”

“Right.” Yugi stated as he took his phone out of his pocket again and navigated to the text thread that he was on earlier.

The same one that had been plaguing him for the past several weeks. 

“You need to stop looking at that.”

Yugi ignored the comment and continued staring at the empty response that Atem never sent. They had both agreed that having some distance was important for them to experience, especially in college. But, Yugi wished he knew just how much more they would both have to work in order to maintain their relationship. They had made it through the past three years already. However, there were many moments where they almost didn’t. Many times where Yugi grew tired of shaking how alone he had felt, even when Atem was on the other side of the phone line with him. 

The more the minutes passed, the more Yugi realized that this was exactly what he was afraid of; the one event that would trigger the downfall of their entire relationship. The one catalyst that would threaten to extinguish what was remaining of their flame. His fear didn’t come without provocation. Yugi noticed that their relationship had become more strained in the past few months. Phone calls that used to last hours were now reduced to single word texts. Dozens of planned visits, cancelled due to other events that had unfortunately taken precedence. Yugi found himself spending more and more time trying to keep the puzzle pieces of them together in order to prevent them from shattering.

“We’re here.”

Yugi hadn’t realized that he had spaced out sometime on their walk over. He stared at the entrance in confusion. They had arrived at Domino City park. “Why are we at the park?”

“You need to get your paper done, don’t you?” Marik asked nonchalantly as he walked ahead of the shorter male into the entrance. 

Yugi followed, equal parts confused and also drawn to the cryptic manner in which Marik was handling this. Dozens of trees surrounded them both as they silently walked down the cobblestone path. As their footsteps carried them forward, Yugi couldn’t help but jog through all of the possibilities for why Marik had brought him there. He snapped his eyes up at the sound of kids giggling nearby. One of them was chasing a group - it seemed like they were playing tag. The carefree, light laughter travelled through the air, threatening to unnerve the last bit of resistance that he had holding him together. 

He was strong, there was no doubt about that. However, sometimes - sometimes Yugi wished that he could turn back time. Go back to when they made that stupid arrangement. Smacked himself when he agreed that distance would help both of them grow, that it would help them both to find themselves. He wished so desperately that he could take back every reassurance that he gave Atem. 

The smell hit him before the sound did. The crisp, bitter saltwater smell originating from the creek that ran straight through the middle of the park. Yugi frowned and looked over at the blond, who had gone back to typing away madly in his phone. The creek was easily one of the main attractions of the park, but it was also one that Yugi had tried very hard to avoid.

“Hey, please tell me that we aren’t going to -”

Yugi started speaking just as they had rounded the corner and arrived at the clearing. The sound of the rushing water was louder here as the creek emptied out onto jagged rocks a few yards from where they both were. A wooden bridge spanned in front of them, proving to be the only way to cross to the other side of the creek. The railings on both sides were lined with various trinkets and notes all spanning the entire length of the bridge.

“- the lock bridge.” Yugi muttered with finality causing Marik to beam a smile back at him. 

“You haven’t been here before, right?!” Marik exclaimed as Yugi tried his best to hide his discomfort. 

He had been there exactly three years ago. He and Atem had placed a lock as a promise that they would stay devoted to each other. A promise that no matter what, they would always find their way back.  _ Some promise that was _ , Yugi thought as he dragged his feet behind the ecstatic blond as they both made their way to the bridge. 

“You’re actually here on time.” Marik exclaimed, causing Yugi to look up and notice a man with white hair pulled back in a ponytail, standing with his elbows resting on the railing, overlooking the water. 

Bakura side-eyed them both and smirked as he turned around and leaned back against the railing instead. “I thought you stood me up.”

Yugi raised a brow as Marik walked over and into Bakura’s embrace. He could hear the pair quip at each other but the words were low enough for him not to hear. Shoving his hands back in his pockets, Yugi kicked at an imaginary rock near him, wondering when he became a third wheel. The sun reflecting off of the metal on one of the locks caused him to turn his attention back towards one of the locks on the opposite railing: a bright red one with gold bezels. 

Captivated, he inched closer and for once he realized how many locks were actually hanging on the railing. How many of these promises were still unbroken? So many people, so many stories. His fingers gingerly let go of the red lock and he turned to face the couple. 

The couple that was no longer standing where they were a moment ago.

Confused, Yugi took a step forward towards where they had both been standing just a few seconds earlier. However, he didn’t have a chance to think through his options when a baritone voice spoke up behind him.

“I wish I could have been there, too.”

Yugi jumped and spun around quicker than he ever had in his life. That voice. It couldn’t be. His eyes locked with deep crimson ones. Deep crimson  _ apologetic  _ ones, brimming with unshed tears.

“Tem…” Yugi whispered as his voice cracked. All of the weight that he had been carrying falling away once Atem smiled back at him. His feet reacted before the rest of his body did. Strong arms wrapped around him once his body collided into his other. His partner.

Yugi had buried his face in the crook of Atem’s neck, tears flowing freely, his arms tightly wrapped around the taller man, fingers desperately digging into his back. Atem pulled away, grabbing the side of Yugi’s face, and kissing the shorter male passionately. Feeling dumb for crying caused Yugi to chuckle into the kiss. He felt Atem smile against his lips. That simple action being one that he never knew he missed the most until that very moment. Opening his eyes, Yugi rested his forehead against Atem’s, whose hands had traveled to rest at the top of Yugi’s waist.

“Aibou…”

“What are you doing here?”

Atem smiled as he wiped a stray tear from Yugi’s cheek. “I wanted to surprise you.” Yugi stared, confusion never leaving his face. The taller man chuckled at the unasked question. “Bakura helped me plan this.”

Blinking, Yugi slightly shook his head, trying to make sense of this. “How was he…” The details from the day slowly started sinking into place. “Was Marik in on this as well?”

The taller, tri-colored hair man groaned and rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, yes. Although he was very annoyed that we left him out of the surprise in the first place.”

Yugi chuckled before the reality of the situation hit him like a truck. He abruptly stopped and glared back at his boyfriend. “You’re here.”

“Yes…”

The shorter male playfully shoved Atem away, albeit a bit too harshly. “Please tell me that you’re not skipping your exams for this!”

Atem opened his mouth but abruptly closed it causing Yugi to furrow his brows in suspicion. “I don’t know how to answer that without you getting mad.”

“Atem!”

“But,” Atem held up a hand in defense as he took a step towards the shorter male. “Part of that is also the reason why I’m here.”

Feeling his heart sink into the pit of his stomach, Yugi matched Atem’s step and took one back of his own. What could be so important that Atem would give up his exams to come see him? Unless… The catalyst thought from earlier had popped into his head again. What better place to do this than at the place where they started it all.

“Yugi.”

Yugi’s gaze fell on Atem’s and he felt as if he were actually seeing him for the first time. The first time in what felt like forever and yet, he looked exactly as he remembered him. His messy blonde bangs hanging over his face. He remembered how Atem always tried to tame them every single morning only to fail and leave the house as he was. The thick, black glasses that Yugi swore made the former Pharaoh sexier than he already was - as if that were humanely possible. The open button-up with a band tee underneath and tight black jeans to match. It always amazed Yugi how much they both had a similar style but Atem had very skillfully taken that style and made it his own. Staring at the former Pharaoh on that bridge reminded Yugi of just how beautiful Atem really was. How in every sense of the word, Atem embodied the word  _ perfect _ . 

And now here they both were. Standing on the same bridge as they had many years ago. Tears silently fell down Yugi’s face as he stared through his blurry eyes back at his world. 

Atem bit the inside of his lip and took a folded piece of paper out of his back pocket. “You know,” he began, his gaze never leaving the paper in his hands. “At first, this seemed like a great idea. And I think that I convinced myself for so long that it was that I got lost in it.

I should have told you about this. I should have,” Yugi noticed Atem’s hands slightly shaking as he held the paper in his hands. Atem looked back up at him, tears filling his own eyes. “We - I made the decision for us and for that, I am truly sorry, Aibou. I hate the hurt that I caused for you.” 

Yugi’s heart broke at the sound of Atem’s voice cracking towards the end of the sentence. He looked down at the piece of paper in Atem’s hands. “What is that?” He asked, wondering if his voice carried across the sound of the rushing water under them.

Looking back down at his hands, Atem forcibly blinked his eyes clear and held it out towards Yugi. Hesitating, Yugi grabbed the paper and slowly unfolded it. Each passing moment felt like an eternity. He found it funny how loud the sound of his heart beating really was. His breath caught in his throat as he skimmed the letter.  _ Hold on. _ The words looking back at him were not at all what he expected. He started reading the letter from the top, trying hard not to jump to the end.

“It wasn’t until we spoke to Marik this afternoon that he let me into a glimpse of what you were feeling and everything you were going through.” Atem continued, dejection laced in his voice. “I just really wanted to surprise you! I wanted to do this for us. I was tired of waking up without you by my side and experiencing life without you there with me.”

Atem’s voice drowned out in the background as Yugi continued reading the letter. “Tem.” He looked back up at the taller male, not feigning to hold back his excitement. “Are you transferring to Domino University?”

Biting the inside of his lip, Atem nodded. “I was able to take the extra classes in the past few months so that I wouldn’t be behind once I transferred.” He exhaled and let out a sad laugh. “It’s the only reason that I’ve been as absent as I have.”

Yugi jumped back into Atem’s arms, nearly knocking them both to the ground in the process. “You idiot! I thought you were about to break up with me!”

Instinctively, Atem wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “I know! I’m sorry that I fueled any of those thoughts.”

“So, you’re officially staying?”

“Yes. For good.”

“And your midterms -”

“Were actually my finals.” Atem intercepted as he brushed one of Yugi’s blonde bangs out of his face. “Which, I found out yesterday that I passed.” 

Yugi shook his head but was unable to shake the smile that was spread across his face. “...You’re such an idiot for not telling me.”

“I know.” The former Pharaoh inched closer to his partners lips, so close that they brushed up against it. “But I’m your idiot.”

Unable to hold back, Yugi closed the remaining space and released all of the tension and love that he felt for his boyfriend into the kiss, which Atem fervently returned. His hands traveled to interlace themselves in Atem’s hair, lightly pulling at the hair. Atem’s grip on his waist tightened as he pulled him in tighter against his body. The slight bulge against Yugi’s own had him wishing that they were both someplace more quiet.

“Aww, looks like you two made up?”

And private.

They broke their kiss and Yugi rolled his eyes as he looked over to Marik. He was resting his head on Bakura’s shoulder with his arms wrapped around his waist.

“We were going to get something to eat so we figured we’d stop by to invite you two.” Marik smiled and Bakura rolled his eyes.

“Or try and deal with the aftermath of your breakup.”

The blond elbowed Bakura at the remark. Atem looked back at Yugi, who nodded slightly in agreement. “We’ll join you guys.”

“Great.” Bakura stated in mock joy only to receive another elbow from Marik at the comment. Yugi and Atem followed closely behind hand-in-hand.

“You know, this is going to be the first time that I won't have to text you that I wish you were here.”

Smiling, Atem tightened his grip on his partner’s hand. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Massive thanks to the greatest friends (and beta readers) that a girl could ever ask for: [Sei](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seiyofira/pseuds/Seiyofira) and [Aurora](https://archiveofourown.org/users/auroraXborealis/pseuds/auroraXborealis)! Y'all are the absolute best! <3


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